Sydenham Hill Wood is part of the Great North Wood, a network of woods and commons that once stretched from Deptford to Selhurst. The Wood is part ancient and is recovering as a nature reserve after the damage done by Victorian development in the mid-late 1800s. Sessile oak and hornbeam are the Wood’s principle species that tell a story of London’s natural history but also it’s development as a city.

London’s woods fuelled its early development and today are cherished for their role in providing habitat for wildlife and peaceful refuge for visitors, whilst purifying the air, storing carbon and containing rainwater.

By learning to identify trees in winter you can gain ID skills that will help you to deepen your knowledge when they leaf again in spring.